Cuisinart Air-160 4.5-Qt Basket Air Fryer Oven Instructions Manual

Cuisinart Air-160 4.5-Qt Basket Air Fryer Oven

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using an electrical appliance, especially when children are present, basic safety precautions should always be taken, including the following:

1. Read all instructions.
2. UNPLUG FROM OUTLET WHEN NOT IN USE AND BEFORE CLEANING. Allow to cool before cleaning, handling, or putting on or taking off parts.
3. Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles or knobs.
4. To protect against electric shock, do not place the cord or plugs or the main body of the Cuisinart® Air Fryer in water or other liquids. See Cleaning and Maintenance, page 9.
5. This appliance should not be used by or near children or individuals with certain disabilities.
6. Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug after the appliance has malfunctioned or has been dropped or damaged in any way, or is not operating properly. Return the Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer to the store or retailer where it was purchased for examination, repair, or adjustment.
7. The use of accessory attachments not recommended by Cuisinart® may cause injury.
8. Do not use outdoors.
9. Do not let the cord hang over the edge of the table or countertop, where it could be pulled on inadvertently by children or pets, or touch hot surfaces, which could damage the cord.
10. Do not place the Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer on or near a hot gas or electric burner or in a heated oven.
11. Do not use this Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer for anything other than its intended purpose.
12. Extreme caution should be exercised when using containers constructed of materials other than metal or glass in the Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer.
13. To avoid burns, use extreme caution when removing Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer accessories or disposing of hot grease.
14. When not in use, always unplug the unit. Do not store any materials other than the manufacturer’s recommended ovenproof accessories in this Cuisinart® Air Fryer

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

1. Digital Control Panel
   Features easy-to-use touch controls to select time, temperature, cooking function, and air fry presets, and a digital display that shows temperature and countdown timer (details on page 5).
   • a. Cooking Functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Keep Warm
   • b. Air Fry Presets: French Fries, Wings, Vegetables, Frozen Snacks
   • c. Light: Illuminates the interior in order to view food during the cooking process.
   • d. Toss Reminder: Optional feature to remind to toss or flip food midway through cooking. Toss reminder is automatic for air fry presets with the option to deselect.
2. Air Fry Basket with Cool-Touch Handle 8×8-inch surface area for cooking food.
3. Viewing Window
   See-through window to check progress.
4. Crisper Plate
   Ensures even cooking. Must always be inserted in the air fry basket for cooking.
5. Cord Wrap (not shown)
   For easy cord storage. Located on the back of the unit.

GETTING TO KNOW THE DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL

1. Cooking Functions with Indicator Lights
   Select function based on desired cooking method: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, or Keep Warm. Indicator light above the selected function will turn on.
2. Air Fry Presets with Indicator Lights
   The Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer has convenient, easy-to-use presets for your air-fried favorites, including french fries, chicken wings, vegetables, and frozen snacks.
3. Time and Temp Controls
   Use the up and down arrows to adjust the time and temperature of cooking functions and air fry presets (optional). The time/temperature will alternate on the digital display.
4. Preheat Display
   The Bake function of the Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer has a preheat feature. With food prepped and ready to cook, press Bake with the basket in the air fryer, and then press Start/Stop. Preheat will display as a scrolling rectangle on the control panel. When the unit is preheated, an audio alert of 5 tones will sound, and the preheat icon time will flash. Remove the basket from the air fryer, carefully add the prepared food, and then return the basket to the unit. The countdown timer will start.
5. Ready Indicator
   Once the timer reaches 00, an audio alert will sound three times, and “00” will hold on the screen for 1 minute. This display will hold for 1 minute. After 1 minute, the unit will automatically enter Keep Warm mode (see #9).
6. Light Button
   To turn the interior light on and off, press the light icon. The interior light will turn off automatically after 20 seconds.
7. Start/Stop with Indicator Light
   Use to start and stop cooking and to turn off the unit. The indicator will illuminate when cooking.
8. Toss Reminder with Indicator Light
   Press to set an audio alert halfway through cooking (with any cooking function) as a reminder to toss or flip food. The indicator light will turn on. At the halfway point of cooking, 10 quick audio alerts will sound and the indicator light will flash.
   Note: Air fry presets automatically activate the Toss Reminder. To disable it, simply press Toss Reminder after selecting the desired preset. The indicator light will turn off.
9. Keep Warm with Indicator Light
   The Keep Warm function begins automatically at the end of any cooking cycle and keeps cooked food warm for up to 60 minutes unless the air fryer basket is removed to pause or the Start/Stop is pressed to turn off. During the automatic Keep Warm mode, the warm indicator light will illuminate and the display will scroll. Press Start/Stop to turn off.

BEFORE FIRST USE

1. Remove all packaging materials.
2. Place your Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer on a flat, level surface.
3. Move 2 to 4 inches away from the wall or from any objects on the countertop. Do not use on heat-sensitive surfaces.

OPERATION

Follow these simple steps for cooking:

1. Place the appliance on a stable, flat, heat-resistant surface. Plug the Cuisinart® Basket Air Fryer into a wall outlet.
2. Remove the air fry basket from the unit and make sure the crisper plate is inserted in the air fry basket.
3. Add desired food onto the crisper plate in the basket and insert the basket into the unit.
   Note: For the Bake function, the unit will automatically preheat. See Preheat on page 5 for more information.
4. Use the digital controls to select the desired cooking function or air fry preset and to adjust time/temperature as needed.
5. Press Toss Reminder to activate or disable the audio-alert reminder to toss/flip the food halfway through cooking.
6. Press Start/Stop to begin cooking.
7. The digital display will show the cooking timer countdown.
8. Toss Reminder audio alert will sound halfway through cooking (if applicable).
9. Once the timer reaches 00, the unit will beep to indicate the end of the cooking cycle.
10. If the basket stays inserted after the cooking cycle ends, the unit enters automatic Keep Warm mode.
11. Press Start/Stop or remove basket to disable Keep Warm function and turn unit off.
12. Unplug the unit when done.

AIR FRYING TIPS & HINTS

Air frying is a healthy alternative to deep-frying in oil. A high-velocity fan and an upper heating element circulate air to prepare a variety of foods that are both delicious and healthier than traditional fried foods.

• Air frying doesn’t require oil, but a light coating of cooking spray or a drizzle of oil tossed with food can enhance browning.
• Toss Reminder is recommended when cooking large quantities that overlap and larger foods like chicken cutlets. Do not overload the basket; more surface area will result in faster cooking and better results.
• Foods will cook more evenly when they are cut into equal-size pieces with minimal overlap.
• An assortment of coatings can be used on air-fried foods. Some examples of different crumb coatings include breadcrumbs (plain, seasoned, and panko), crushed cornflakes, potato chips, and graham crackers. Various flours (including gluten-free) and other dry foods like cornmeal work as well.
• When cooking proteins, marinades and juices will drip to the bottom of the basket. This is a great base for a gravy or pan sauce.
• When air frying greasy foods (e.g., bacon), grease will drain into the bottom of the air fry basket. As a precaution, allow hot grease to cool in the basket before cleaning.
• Use tongs or a silicone spatula to remove food from the basket.
• Use the light/window feature to check on cooking food. The basket can also be removed to check on the food (this will pause the cooking until the basket is reinserted into the unit).

AIR FRYER CHART

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

• Always unplug the air fryer from the electric outlet and allow it to cool completely before cleaning.
• Do not use abrasive cleaners, as they will damage the finish. Simply wipe the exterior with a clean, damp cloth and dry it thoroughly. Apply the cleansing agent to a cloth, not directly onto the air fryer, before cleaning.
• To clean interior walls, use a damp cloth and a mild liquid soap solution or a spray solution on a sponge. Remove any residue from cleaners with a clean, damp rag. Never use harsh abrasives or corrosive products. These could damage the air fryer’s surface. Never use steel wool pads on the interior of the air fryer.
• Air fry basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe. They can also be hand-washed in hot, sudsy water with a nylon scouring pad or nylon brush and thoroughly rinsed.
• Remove the crisper plate from the air fry basket to easily access the bottom of the air fry basket.
• Any servicing should be performed by an authorized service representative.

Recipes

Lime Tortilla Chips

• Trade in your store-bought chips for this quick and easy homemade option. They’re perfect on their own or as a fun accompaniment to your favorite dip.

Makes 20 chips

• 5 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ lime
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Quarter the tortillas and lay out on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the tortilla pieces with olive oil.
2. Working in two batches, arrange the tortilla pieces in a single layer in the basket. Put the basket into the air fryer. Select Air Fry, and set the time to 8 minutes and the temperature to 350°F. Press Toss Reminder and Start/Stop. Halfway through cooking time, shake the basket to toss the chips, and then replace the
   basket to finish cooking. When done cooking, transfer the chips to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining tortilla pieces.
3. Once both batches are finished, squeeze the lime over the chips, and then sprinkle with the lime zest and salt. Toss the chips in the bowl so that the seasoning coats the chips evenly.
   • Nutritional information per serving:
   • Calories 172 (33% from fat)
   • Carb. 27g
   • Pro. 3g
   • Fat 7g
   • Sat. Fat 1g
   • Chol. 0mg
   • Sod. 949mg
   • Calc. 92mg
   • Fiber 3g

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Cuisinart Air-160 4.5-Qt Basket Air Fryer Oven-FAQs